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Map Turtles, anyone?

clipclopclip

clipclopclip

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So, depending on circumstance, I may be given a baby map turtle soon. There is a guy who works for a local reptile shop who has been given some and may want to adopt them out.

I have read a bit about them and their requirements, but wondered if anyone here on cs.com has ever had experience with map turtles so I can put some information by them and make sure I can care for it correctly if I end up with one.
Thanks!
 
Graptemysbarbouri.jpg
 
Maps are really easy to care for.

All thats needed is a decent sized aquarium as females can reach 8" - 10"

Water temp around 75f and a land area with a basking lamp. just a low wattage bulb above the land area. You can get polystyrene turtle docks if you wish that float and have suction cups to attatch to the side. These take less room so you still have plenty of water room left.
No substrate is needed as you will need to clean them out often!
Standard turtle pelets for diet with occasional treats of prawn, raw beef heart and fish.

Good luck.
 
carolinacorn69 said:
Maps are really easy to care for.

All thats needed is a decent sized aquarium as females can reach 8" - 10"

Water temp around 75f and a land area with a basking lamp. just a low wattage bulb above the land area. You can get polystyrene turtle docks if you wish that float and have suction cups to attatch to the side. These take less room so you still have plenty of water room left.
No substrate is needed as you will need to clean them out often!
Standard turtle pelets for diet with occasional treats of prawn, raw beef heart and fish.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
would a good idea be to have a large rubbermaid container or ziplock container and sink it into the middle of an aquarium filled with rocks so that the rocks are on the outside and the pond goes along the entire length of the tank on the inside? I was thinking of doing that so that I can simply pull out the water and change containers in a rotation to wash them so that I do not need to clean the entire tank every time I want to change the water.

Do you see what I mean? Would that work do you think?

That way I can change water daily and clean the whole tank weekly.

Also, do I need to de-chlorinate the water for the map turtle since it will spend much of its time there?

Thanks in advance!
 
my girlfriend has a pair i picked them up a few weeks ago cute little buggers they are.feed well on pellets love crickets aswell.grow very quick.good to feed them veg but my gf ones wnt eat veg so i use a pellet food made of veg along with the normal shrimp pellets.
Noel
 
Rachel,
I got one just recently and placed it in my 75 gallon tank with some nice goldfish. He has left the fish alone and just swims through the java moss I have established in the tank. There is a wee lil RES in there with him as well. Its a nice tank and I should post pictures of it some day. :)
But this guy is my second map turtle, they do get a good size. A shop I go to wanted my first one and I gave it to her.
As turtles go, they need double their length in water depth. This why I am keeping them in a 75, I shouldn't have any problems with the tank.
 
Hey Jim,
Now if I get one I'll have to stalk you about turtle information....
the (drum roll please)
TURTLE STALKER!!!!
lol!
 
clipclopclip said:
would a good idea be to have a large rubbermaid container or ziplock container and sink it into the middle of an aquarium filled with rocks so that the rocks are on the outside and the pond goes along the entire length of the tank on the inside? I was thinking of doing that so that I can simply pull out the water and change containers in a rotation to wash them so that I do not need to clean the entire tank every time I want to change the water.

Do you see what I mean? Would that work do you think?

That way I can change water daily and clean the whole tank weekly.

Also, do I need to de-chlorinate the water for the map turtle since it will spend much of its time there?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...


Yeah, that should be okay. you dont have to clean them everyday though, that might stress them. just dont let the water get filthy and theyll be fine :)
 
I wouldn't worry much about the water... I know I already PMed you most of the info below, but will reiterate here for anyone else that might do a search and come across this info


The Mississippi Map Turtle I posted a picture of on the first page is housed at work in a 300 gallon rubbermade stock tank. He lives with several red-ear sliders, yellow belly sliders, malayan box turtle, asian pond turtle, common snapper, and a 4' American Aligator. All of the turtles are illegal in the state of Oregon, but we have one of three current permits in the state that allow us to keep them, so we end up them...

In the tub we keep water temperatures around 75F. Granite and Marble are stacked to create a basking area over which there is a 160W UVB light and a 150W CHE. The CHE is on 24/7, and the UVB is on only 12 hours a day.

The lil map turtle LOVES to eat. He routinely gets Mazori Aquatic Turtle pellets (we have a 25 cent gumball machine full of it to allow customers to feet the turtles and gator). He also eats the following straight from tongs - beef liver, chicken liver, chicken gizzards, pinky mouse parts, trout, crickets, mealworms, earthworms, and whatever else we pick up for feedings.

Even though he's the smallest guy in the pond, he definately isn't at the bottom of the totem. In fact, I've seen him scale over 3 other piled turtles to bask. I've seen him take shots at the gator, and he's plenty fast to get out of the way if he feels the need. He's my favorite in the pond, and the seconded in the store only by a MataMata...
 
oh yeah - as far as water goes, you don't have to worry about it much. With all the inhabitants of the pond, and the constant feeding they get, you couldn't imagine how nasty it can get. We clean it twice a week. The lil guy alone could probably do fine on his own for a long time in a properly sized tank.

One thing I would suggest is a submersible water filter. I'm a big fan of the Duetto Submersible filters. I have one in my gartersnake terrarium and we sell them at our store as well (though we don't sell fish).

oh yeah - the lil guy likes to chase down goldfish and minnows as well...
 
Cool! Thanks for the info and the PM. I also decided to join a turtle forum as well,so I think I will have good people to ask questions to, you guys included. I hope I actually get the turtle now lol. If not, it was a fun learning experience!
 
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